Swedish court upholds life sentence in Rwanda genocide case

STOCKHOLM, Feb 15 (Reuters) - A Swedish court of appeal on Wednesday upheld the life imprisonment verdict it gave to a man for genocide during the Rwanda conflict in 1994.

The Svea court of appeal in Stockholm said Claver Berinkindi, a man in his early 60s who sought political asylum in the Nordic country in 2002 and became a citizen 10 years later, was guilty of the murder, attempted murder and kidnapping of several thousand people.

"The court largely agrees with the District court and therefore sentences him to life imprisonment for genocide and gross crime," the court said in a statement.

The court also said Berinkindi should pay damage to victims.

Berinkindi was charged in Sweden in September 2015 and sentenced by Stockholm District court in May last year.

Under Swedish law, courts can try Swedish citizens and other nationals for crimes committed abroad. (Reporting by Johan Sennero; Editing by Hugh Lawson)